Cottagecore is a visual aesthetic which has become especially popular within the last 12 months. This aesthetic has sky-rocketed during the pandemic and became a social media sensation on Tiktok, Tumblr, and Reddit. Cottagecore can be seen as a lifestyle choice, a fashion craze, and a major interior design trend. This article will consider how you can embrace this style in your home and what colour schemes and products will help you achieve the ultimate ‘cottagecore look’.
What is Cottagecore?
For those unfamiliar with the term, cottagecore refers to an aesthetic defined by simplicity, rural living, and the art of craft-making. Picture a homely scene of delicate floral wallpaper, a stack of classic literary books, a cup of tea, the smell of freshly baked bread, and a ball of wool being knitted into a Winter scarf. It is very much a return to simple life.
The interior style encapsulates the charm of the English countryside given that the concept of cottagecore feels quintessentially British. This includes neutral colour schemes, dainty floral patterns, eco-friendly products, and ‘shabby chic’ furniture. One of the reasons that this aesthetic has become so popular is because we have had to adapt to life in lockdown. The fast-paced environment of shops, restaurants, and constant entertainment all came to a screeching halt, and we were left to find our own source of recreation at home. This has lead to an appreciation of the slower-paced lifestyle and the little things in life such as walking, baking and crafting.
Cottagecore invokes a desire to escape from city life and move to a cosy cottage on the edge of a woodland. The idea has become romanticised and dream-like, allowing people to envision a life away from society and away from the current pandemic.
How to invite Cottagecore into your home?
The beauty of this trend is that you don’t have to move to the idyllic English countryside to live the cottagecore life, you can bring the English countryside to you. One of the main elements of the cottagecore style is the eco-friendly nature of buying products which are good for the environment. To bring the cottagecore style to your interior design, you can buy sustainable furniture.
Sustainably Chic
When buying products that are made up of recycled materials, you want to be sure that the quality is still high. One of our brands has just released a gorgeous new sofa which is made up of recycled plastic bottles. The Whitedesigns Neptune Sofa is British-made and uses 100% environmentally friendly materials. The wood that makes up the frame is sustainably sourced, while the seat cushion interiors are made from 50% recycled fibre.
Not only is this sofa eco-friendly, but it is unbelievably comfortable and stylish. The piece comes in a range of colours, all of which are soft, natural hues that compliment the interior style of country living. Products like these will ensure that you are staying true to the values of environmentalism, which are a crucial part of the cottagecore aesthetic. If you are going to go sustainable, do it in style.
Another one of our sofas, Marmaduke (available in-store only), is a sustainable piece with deep lounging seats which provide insatiable comfort. Marmaduke is available in an extensive range of luxury fabrics and accents, including Aquaclean and 100% recycled Forever. The seat cushions are fully reversible, with foam arm pads, hollow pocketed fibre constructed backs, and the hardwood feet which are available in a smoke or lightwood finish.
Plant it up
Given that nature and sustainability are a key aspect of the cottagecore trope, bringing plants into your home is an absolute must. Display sprigs of greenery around the kitchen, hang plant baskets from the ceilings, and place wild flowers in a little vase on the living room table. Adding these natural elements to your home will allow you to feel closer to the outside world, whether you are in an apartment block in Manchester or a cottage on the Cornish coast. Tending to plants and flowers can also give us an activity to do when we are house bound for long periods of time.
Cottagecore Colour Palette
The colours you need to achieve the cottagecore interior style include a very neutral and pastel-based palette. The idea is to incorporate nature into the home, and this is the perfect opportunity to bring in some pastel greens, earthy browns, and soft ocean blues; these colours will compliment your hanging plants and flower pots. Earthy tones should form the main components of a room including the colours of the wall, the sofas, the chairs and the flooring; pops of bright colour can be juxtaposed against these base colours to create a feature or focus point.
Many of the sofas in our SITS collection reflect the green, earthy tones that would fit in well with the cottagecore style. The SITS Liam Sofa provides a comfortable low back and angular arms that portray a modern and contemporary look; however, the natural hues of the fabric bring a more traditional, country feel to the piece.
Our Fatboy collection provides comfort and style, with a laid back attitude. The Fatboy Lamzac can be used indoors or outdoors, allowing you to enjoy relaxation in the Winter and Summer. The soft blues and greens of this chair perfectly compliment your cottagecore home. They allow you to enjoy comfort in all the seasons, whilst embodying the concept of ultimate cosiness. Fatboy is a Dutch manufacturer who inspires people to take their own path, without taking it all too seriously. This beanbag-like piece is quirky and unique, adding something whimsical to your home. If you want to add something different to your interior design, choose Fatboy to put a smile on your face.
Quintessentially British
As we have said before, the cottagecore trope is often associated with country life in traditional British culture. The idea of sitting in the conservatory, having afternoon tea and reading a book is a very English scene. Cottagecore intends to create an idealistic view of the home, from homemade scones to crocheted blankets and cushions. The Scandinavian concept of ‘hygge’, which we discussed in 5 ways to cosy up your home for Winter, is very similar to cottagecore. Both concepts create this idea of cosiness, warmth and a love for the home. However, hygge is far more minimalistic than cottagecore. Hygge comprises of wooden stools and white rugs and clean, spacious rooms; the charm of cottagecore comes from the prettily cluttered stacks of books, blankets, cushions and handmade trinkets.
Returning to the British aspect of cottagecore, this is something you should certainly include into your style. This includes using floral wallpaper to emulate a traditional country home, or displaying a large bookcase of old poetry books and penguin classics. Other British features may include wooden floors, doors and tables; mahogany, oak, and walnut are some of the British trademarks for home decor.
Alternatively, you could support British furniture brands such as Westbridge designs. The Westbridge Slouch Sofa feels just as divine as it sounds. This sofa features thick cushions with a cushion on each arm for added comfort. The buttoned accents on the back cushions gives this piece a hint of vintage inspiration. The pastel pink, antique-style of this piece makes it the perfect addition to your cottagecore home. Anything that has a hint of that old, traditional English style is something you want to feature. Westbridge sofas are all individually and expertly crafted so each one is unique from the last. Incorporating traditional British design into your home will make it feel cosy and homely; these are the two key characteristics of the cottagecore style.
There you have it. The perfect recipe to make your own cottagecore home. Next time you want to escape the chaotic buzz of modern life, all you have to do is snuggle up in your own living room and make a cuppa tea.
